EVIL SYSTEM

Dante's mother stood shocked, her eyes wide open, while Dante hung his head in shame.

"How can you say that about your own son?" Dante's mother was outraged and lashed out at her husband. "No matter what he's done or why he left, he's still your son."

The man remained unmoved, his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. He glared at Dante with undisguised anger and asked, "What did I tell you the day before you left?"

Dante stayed silent, his head still lowered.

"What did I tell you?!!!"

Dante flinched at his shout and, trembling, replied.

"That if I left, I wouldn't be your son anymore."

"Then what are you doing here, pretending nothing happened?"

"Honey," Dante's mother intervened. "He's our beloved son."

Her words didn't affect the man at all.

"We haven't seen him in over three years," the woman said, tears streaming down her face as she grabbed the man's suit. "Your father asks about him every day."

This softened the man's stoic expression a little. After a long sigh, he uncrossed his arms and shook his head helplessly.

"Come in," he said, gesturing with his head and walking into the mansion.

"Seriously, Dad?" The younger brother, who hadn't said a word until now, protested immediately. "After everything he did, you're just letting him back into the house like nothing happened?"

The man gave him a look but didn't respond. He entered the mansion, and the rest of the family followed.

Dante hesitated for a few seconds before following them inside.

Ben watched the interaction without any intention of intervening.

He closed his eyes and used his martial arts skills to their fullest. Though he didn't like to admit it, he could be very curious—and therefore, nosy.

As they entered the house, it seemed like all pretenses disappeared.

"Coming back here only means one thing," Dante's father, Leonardo, said with a smile, his arms crossed. "You've given up on that stupid dream of becoming a singer and are finally taking up your responsibilities with the family."

Dante's eyes widened in disbelief at what he was hearing.

His father seemed victorious, his brother was clearly annoyed, and even his mother, who had always seemed to support him, looked at him with expectation.

"I haven't given up on music," Dante blurted out almost without thinking. "I love music, and I won't give it up for anything in the world."

Leonardo clenched his teeth and fists.

"What are you doing wasting your time on that hobby?"

"It's not a hobby; it's my life," Dante said, feeling like he'd lived this moment before.

"And what have you achieved with it?" Leonardo asked angrily. "You're wasting your youth on a useless dream."

Dante lowered his head, unsure how to respond. He hadn't achieved anything with music, even though he'd participated in several competitions and sent his demos to record labels.

In fact, he hadn't even made it out of the subway stations. He didn't need his father and family to tell him he was a failure—he told himself that every day.

He hid his sadness behind a smile and an outgoing personality so people wouldn't see his pain.

"While you ignored your responsibilities, your younger brother was accepted into a prestigious university," Leonardo said, pointing to the boy, who puffed out his chest with pride. "None of us helped him, and he still made it."

"Sitting down to study isn't that hard," Dante tried to defend himself. "I started working before he did. I'm a singer, and my mus—"

"You're a singer?" Leonardo interrupted with a shout. "Really? No one knows you or your music."

"What?" Those words shattered Dante inside, but he tried not to show it, even though his eyes were already turning red and threatening to cry.

Leonardo seemed aware that his words had deeply hurt his son and fell silent.

"Hey, that's life," Oscar began, a smile on his face. "Wake up and face it. You've been working for years—how much money have you saved? Earn your own living. Do you think just because I'm successful, I'll carry this family alone? Well, I won't."

"Fine, I'm a failure," Dante admitted, his voice trembling. "But do you have to attack me like that? I already feel that way—I don't need you to remind me. You're my family! You should care!"

"Being family doesn't mean anything!" Oscar shouted back.

"Yeah!" Dante pointed at him angrily. "Then don't tell me how to live!"

"I haven't asked Dad for anything since I graduated high school. Why do you want to dictate my destiny and reject me like this?"

"Are you really going to play the victim now?" Oscar grabbed Dante by the shirt.

"If you think that, then you're a psychopath!" Dante was at his limit and felt like he couldn't hold back the tears much longer. "I told you I failed. You should be saying things like, 'Don't be sad!' Instead, you celebrate my dreams falling apart and mock them. What kind of human does that?"

"You're insolent!" Leonardo raised his hand, intending to slap Dante across the face, and Dante didn't stop him.

Leonardo's fist hit Dante's face, knocking him to the ground.

Dante's mother screamed and covered her mouth, trying to stop Leonardo as he pointed at Dante.

"Are you saying I'm not human?" Leonardo stared at his son on the floor, who looked at him in disbelief. "How disrespectful! I'm your father! Even if you're an embarrassment and a disappointment."

"Leave him alone!!" An old, tired voice called out from a distance.

Everyone turned to see an elderly man with a cane slowly approaching them.

"Father-in-law, please don't make things worse," Dante's mother pleaded, but the old man walked up and stood in front of Dante, defending him. "Why do you always pick on Dante? Why do you attack him when he tells you he's failed? He's feeling down—as parents, you should comfort and support him."

"Grandpa, don't interfere when Dad is trying to tell Dante something," Oscar interjected, clearly annoyed.

"Listen, Dante is 21 years old. In my day, he'd already be married. He's old enough to do what he wants with his life."

"Enough, Grandpa, let it go," Dante said, standing up and patting the old man's shoulders.

"You're right, we should leave," the old man nodded and walked with Dante to an adjacent room.

When they closed the doors, Dante grabbed the old man's hand and looked him in the eyes. "Thank you for defending me."

The old man smiled warmly and joked, "Your dad's going to kill me tomorrow."

Both of them smiled as the old man patted Dante's head. "I missed you so much, my boy."

Dante hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I wish I could give you money to fulfill your dream, but I'm just a useless old man."

"Don't say that," Dante hugged him even tighter.

"I wish I could help you," the old man began to sob.

"Don't cry, Grandpa. You know I don't like seeing you cry," Dante's voice grew shakier.

"I wish I could live longer to see you achieve your dream," the old man broke into tears, and Dante did too.

They hugged each other, crying and comforting one another.